


Telling Jackie

by LadyPaigeC



Series: Embracing Life [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Humor, Pregnancy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 14:26:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7621903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyPaigeC/pseuds/LadyPaigeC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose and the Doctor surprise Jackie with a visit to give her an update on their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Telling Jackie

**Author's Note:**

> Marked teen for a little slightly questionable language.

“So, Rose...”

Rose paused, eyebrow raised, with a piece of jam covered toast halfway to her mouth. “Yes, Doctor?”

The Doctor was seated across from Rose at the table in the galley, fidgeting with his mug of tea. “Um, so I know we’re gonna visit your mum today. But do we have to tell her about the baby right away?”

Rose took a bite of her breakfast and smirked at the Doctor in amusement. “Doctor, I’m already 3 months gone. We can’t put it off much longer. And if we wait til I’m showing, she’s gonna be angry and hurt that we tried to hide it from her.” Rose reached across the table and cupped the Doctor’s jaw. “I like this face and I don’t want her to slap you into a regeneration.” 

“But Rose, she’s gonna slap me anyway. Maybe if we ease her into the idea of it… Today we could get her used to the idea of us...what word do we use, Rose? ‘Dating’... ’Coupling’... ’Together.’ Ugh, I don’t like any of the human words.” The Doctor shuddered. “They don’t even come close to describing what we have.” 

“Well, Doctor. We’re…having a baby. I think if we say that Mum can put the pieces together just fine without us having to define it.”

“But if we do it my way, we can tell her today that we’re a couple. Then tomorrow for us, we can go visit Jackie again, but for her it can be a few weeks or a month, and we can do coupley things. We’ll do that a few times. And then after that we can tell her about the baby. For us it’ll only have been a few days, so you won’t have to worry about showing, but for her it’ll be a few months.” The Doctor looked at Rose expectantly.

Rose sighed and reached for the Doctor’s hand. “Putting it off a few days isn’t going to make it go away. Plus I don’t like the idea of tricking her. And if she ever found out...Doctor, she would never forgive us. Anyway, she thinks we’ve been a couple for well over a year. I know it’s going to be an uncomfortable talk, but I just want to get it over with.” 

“But...wait. A year? When I was big ears and leather?”

Rose rolled her eyes and nodded at him. “She called the police that time you dropped me off a year late because she thought I was your sex slave. When she realized it was my choice to go with you, she didn’t stop thinking we were shagging, just thought I had terrible taste in boyfriends.” She gave him a tongue in teeth grin and winked at him.

“Oi! But...oh, I don’t want to think about Jackie thinking about us…” The Doctor gagged.

Rose giggled “You do know how babies are made, yeah? She’s gonna know.”

“Rose! If I regenerate from this, just remember, I could have two heads or no head next time.”

“The no head might be an improvement.”

“Hey!”

“Oh, come ‘ere ya plum. I was just teasin’.” Rose grabbed the Doctor by his tie and pulled him toward her. She pressed her lips against his and asked for permission to enter his mind. _You know I love you even when you come up with the daftest ideas. We need to tell Mum today._

_But Rooose…_

_I’m scared, Doctor._ She could feel the hurt and panic building in his mind. Rose placed her hands at the Doctor’s temples and drew back from the kiss. _Stop whatever it is your thinking. I just mean...I’ve never been pregnant or even been around many babies and well Mum has. I want to talk to her about it and ask her about her experience with me. I know you love us and will keep us safe, but there are some things I can’t ask you because you’re not a mum._

_I’m sorry. You’re right. I didn’t think...we’ll tell her today._

The Doctor could feel the tension release from Rose’s mind. _I love you so much._

_I love you too. Enough to visit Jackie whenever the need strikes._

“Hush you.” Rose smiled and pulled the Doctor in for a proper snog.

\--------------------

Rose opened the front door to her mother’s flat and stepped in. “Mum, are you home?”

Rose clasped the Doctor’s hand and dragged him in behind her.

Rose and the Doctor heard a clatter come from the kitchen before Jackie rushed into the living room. “Rose, sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

Rose laughed and reached out to hug her mother. “Nothin’s wrong, Mum.”

“But you two never drop by twice in one month. Tell me what happened. Are you okay?”

“Mum, really, everything’s fine. Better than fine.” Rose was grinning ear to ear.

The Doctor grabbed the back of his neck and rubbed at it nervously. He looked at Jackie, but carefully avoided making eye contact. “Like Rose said, just thought it was time for a visit.”

Jackie crossed her arms and looked from the Doctor to Rose with narrowed eyes. “How long’s it been for you two? Hasn't been another year has it?”

“No, Mum, it's been as long for us as it's been for you, ’bout two weeks?” Rose looked to the Doctor and took his hand in both of hers.

“17 days for us, Jackie.” The Doctor smiled at Rose and walked the two of them over to settle on the sofa. 

Jackie watched Rose and the Doctor trying to figure out what wasn’t being said. “Uh hmm. Still think the two of you are actin’ strange.”

“Don’t be silly. Come and sit down.” Rose patted the empty chair next to the sofa.

The Doctor jumped up. “Right, Jackie you sit. I’ll just go make us some tea. Let you two catch up. Do you have any Jammie Dodgers, ooh or anything cream filled? I’m on a cream filled biscuit kick.”

“Doctor.” Rose glared at him and then looked pointedly at the seat next to her he had just vacated. 

“Oh, let ‘im go, Rose. A cuppa sounds like just the thing. And we can have a little girl talk with himself outta the room.”

“Right, tea coming up!” The Doctor rushed from the room into the kitchen. 

Rose threw a dirty look at his retreating form and slumped back into the sofa. 

“So, Rose…”

Rose looked over at Jackie “Yeah, Mum?”

“How far along are ya?”

Rose’s mouth dropped open and she looked toward the kitchen before returning to her mother. “But...I…”

“Oh come off it sweetheart, I wasn't born yesterday. Doesn't take a genius alien to figure out what the two o’ you are so nervous about. Suppose I should be bloody grateful you didn't show up with a toddler in tow.”

“Mum, I wouldn’t...we wouldn't…”

“Yeah, well you’ll forgive me if I don't have faith in himself gettin’ you here when ‘e says ‘e will.”

“It was one time!”

“It was a bloody year, and I thought you were dead!”

Rose took a deep breath and let the fight go out of her. “I know. An’ I'm sorry. Truly. But now you can always reach me on my phone, and I swear to you I’ll do my best to answer and if I can't then I’ll return your call as soon as I'm able. The Doctor and I have this rule, yeah, we don't make the other person wait more than 5 ½ hours. I promise I'll never let you wait more than that either. Ok?”

Jackie leaned over to embrace Rose. “Ok, sweetheart.”

“I want you to be involved. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to tell you straight away.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, the Doctor’s brilliant and takes great care of me, but his people were…like…sorta grown. He’s never had to deal with a pregnancy before. I need you, Mum.”

“Oh, Rose. My baby’s gonna have a baby.”

The Doctor walked into the room holding a tray with three mugs of tea and an assortment of biscuits and sweets. “Who’s ready for tea?” 

Jackie pulled back from Rose sniffling. She crossed her arms and glared at the Doctor. “So when’s the wedding?”

The Doctor’s eyes popped wide open and he let out a little squeak. “What?”

“Mum!”

Jackie stood up and confronted the Doctor. “You think you can get my Rose up the duff, and not marry ‘er?”

“I...uh..." The Doctor looked at Rose. “You told her already?”

“She guessed. And Mum, we don’t need a piece of paper to--”

“Ain’t she good enough for the likes o’ you, Mister high and mighty Time Lord?”

Rose had her head in her hands. “Mum, just stop, please!”

“Jackie! Rose is plenty good enough, better even than me.”

“Good enough to shag maybe, but not marry?” 

“Of course not! Really, Rose, is that what your mother thinks of me? Jackie, Rose’s is the most brilliant person I’ve ever met. She’s smart, resourceful, compassionate. Saved me more than a few times. Anybody would be honored to have her as their wife.”

“Even you?” 

The Doctor looked at from one Tyler woman to the other. Jackie was standing arms crossed fighting for what she thought best for her daughter. Rose was looking at the Doctor a little worried and a little expectant. _She still doesn’t quite trust I am never going to abandon her._ Everything became clear to the Doctor at that moment. He smiled at Rose and then turned his attention back to Jackie. “Especially me.”

Jackie smiled at the Doctor and went to take the forgotten tea tray from him. “Well now that that’s settled…” Jackie placed the tray on the coffee table and handed a tea to Rose and sat down with her own. 

The Doctor walked slowly over to his seat and settled next to Rose. Rose took his hand in hers. “Doctor, we don’t have to...I don’t need--”

“Rose, stop. Let me do this right.” He dropped her hands and started digging through his pockets. He took out a banana, a spool of cable, a comically long magician’s scarf, a protein bar, a bag of jelly babies, until he found what he was looking for. He gripped it tightly and slowly brought out a small box. He looked up at Rose whose eyes were shining.

“I saw this a few months ago when we were shopping for TARDIS parts. Remember that planet that had those fruits with the frozen custard inside?”

Rose laughed. “The ice cream trees!”

“They weren’t really ice cream, Rose, they were--”

“Oh Lord, Rose I don’t know how you put up with him.”

“Oi, you can leave the room if you like, Jackie.”

“And miss this? Not bloody likely.”

The Doctor looked ready to say something rude, so Rose placed her hand on his cheek. “You’re doing fine, love.” She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. _I love you._

The Doctor pulled back from the kiss the way he always did, as though his brain had been shocked and he needed a moment to recover. “Right, great...where was I? Oh, yeah. I saw this and knew I needed to buy it for you.”

The Doctor opened the box and took out a gorgeous ring with a TARDIS blue, square sapphire flanked on each side by smaller diamonds that tapered in size down the band. Jackie and Rose both gasped when they saw it.

“It’s a sapphire from the waterfalls of Midnight. You lot turn it into a leisure planet with spa, tours, and first class restaurants.”

“Sounds wonderful. We should go there someday.”

“As you wish.” The Doctor gave Rose a quick kiss before pointing to one of the larger diamonds. “This diamond is from Earth, I asked the jeweler to replace the original, so that you could always have a piece of home with you. This one is from Telos, these two from Barzilla, and the smaller ones are from Sartor. The band is platinum, mined from Reticulum II.”

“It’s beautiful. You bought this months ago?”

The Doctor nodded. “I lost my nerve after Krop Tor. Was afraid of losing you. But I’ve wanted this for a long time.” The Doctor dropped to one knee in front of Rose. “Rose Tyler, would you accept this as a small token of my love and affection, and do me the great honor and privilege in becoming my wife?”

“Oh Doctor!” Rose choked out and threw herself into his arms. “Yes, yes, yes! Of course I will.” Rose looked up at the Doctor with teary eyes and pulled him down for a kiss.

Jackie started crying and after Rose and the Doctor broke apart, Jackie got up to hug the Doctor, who suffered stiffly through it. “Oh you...you lovely man. I love you both. Rose, you take good care of this big fella, and Doctor, you take care of my little girl.”

The Doctor gave in and hugged Jackie back. “Forever, Jackie.”


End file.
